The main research goal of my laboratory is the synthesis of mesporous silica nanoparticles, which can then be functionalized for biological applications such as the delivery of drugs. This could eventually establish a new era in medicine in which nanoparticles can be used to create effective treatments for cancer, viral disesases, and other illnesses. Different models of drug-delivery systems have been developed that can be used to seek and destroy harmful cells in the body. These models include light, redox, pH, magnetic field, or enzyme activation that induces drug molecules to be released. The goals of the lab are to optimize the existing models and develop new functionalities.

My hypothesis is that I can develop a method to maximize the amount of biomolecule targeting agents covalently attached to the surface of the nanoparticles. Biomolecules are useful as targeting agents because most cells have an over-expression of certain groups that would allow the nanoparticles to be captured by the targeted cells. Other related points of interest that I will be studying are the effect of phosphonated and unphosphonated nanoparticles on surface modification and suspension. Also, I will be studying the effect of different surface linkers towards the binding of biomolecules and quantify surface attachments.